How did you tell your parents you wanted to become a priest?

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MrTambourineMan

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This question is for any seminarians, priests, religious, or anybody who has discerned a vocation. How did you tell your parents and loved ones that you wanted to enter the seminary? I’m a senior and high school and I want to tell my parents that I want to enter the seminary but I’m nervous. My family isn’t very religious beside my mom and I’m afraid of what they’ll think. Any advice?
 
Mine couldn’t believe me, and said, “I told you so,” and “Thank God” when I left 6 years later.🤷

Don’t let what anyone says get in the way of what you must do.
 
I just told my parents I was thinking about going to seminary, and they stood behind me for the whole process of joining the diocese and seminary. In your case I would talk to your priest, see if he would have any insights, and maybe even see if he would be willing to go with you to talk to your parents. I’ll keep you in my prayers. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

-ACEGC
 
Mine was difficult, none of my parents are religious, it took me a couple of months to get the courage to. But When I told them they weren’t happy. But I kept praying and they eventually lightened up. I am still waiting to go to the seminary
 
I told my parents and they were shocked!!! I totally rocked their world but luckily for me, they were very supporting. Parents just want you to be happy and if they see you are happy with your vocation than they will be content as well.

Praying for you
 
God bless a woman who gives her son to Our Lady.

Will pray for you, and for all seminarians. :knight2: Fight the good fight for Truth!

~Liza
 
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man and other young men here. Perserverance seems to be the key here - that would be in your prayer, in pursuing your calling, and in continuing to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes opposition of one kind or another will help you clarify your thoughts and your heart. Sounds as if your parents may have some adjusting to do, but it also sounds as if they are loving. Speaking as an “old” parent, we adjust. I’ll keep you all in my prayers.
 
MrTambourineMan said:
This question is for any seminarians, priests, religious, or anybody who has discerned a vocation. How did you tell your parents and loved ones that you wanted to enter the seminary? I’m a senior and high school and I want to tell my parents that I want to enter the seminary but I’m nervous. My family isn’t very religious beside my mom and I’m afraid of what they’ll think. Any advice?
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If you imagine that it could be problematic, I’d wait until the very last minute to share the news (as in, a few days before you enter) – a good family friend (priest) gave me this advice when I told him I was entering my period of discernment. 🙂 Otherwise: Be as sure as you can be. Persevere in prayer, and stay close to Jesus. You don’t want to say anything until you know enough to decide, as this is completely intimate, between you, God, and your confessor and/or spiritual director (you should find the latter if you don’t have one already).
 
It took me a long time to get up the courage to tell my father, which was years after I’d told my mother I was considering it. She was more or less on her death bed at the time - and delighted at the prospect too. My problem is/was that my father is very elderly (in his 90s now) and in increasing need of care and I’m an only child. For that reason, among others, although I was accepted for Seminary training, I felt it wasn’t possible to commence at the time I was offered, but the door was not closed to me. Mind you, that was 3 1/2 years ago, and my father is still keeping on going! He may well become a centenarian for all I know, so perhaps I should just stop faffing about and get on with it!
 
Pray about it. If it is as difficult as my situation, which I assure you it is not, then they may never come around to it. Know that there are special graces associated with our vocations that we really need in obtaining salvation. Yes, your parents want your happiness and well being; eventually this should help them come around. Be consoled in the scriptures, “And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.”
 
I have not yet told my parents that I am seriously thinking of maybe becoming a priest. From how they react when some Catholic family members comment to me that I should be a priest, I think they will just have to get used to it or support me if they don’t support my decision if I do decide to enter seminary.

God bless!
 
I’m from North Jersey, and I’ve actually been thinking about, if I were to become a priest, about getting sponsored by the Archdiocese of New York so I’d have some distance between me and the disapproving family members!
 
When I told my parents that I wanted to be a Jesuit priest they were very very happy. I don’t know when I’ll enter since I want to get a degree in a field I like before philosophy and theology.

My grandparents were also very happy and before my grandfather passed away he said that he was proud that I wanted to be a priest and that he couldn’t wait for my ordination day.
 
My parents are not supportive at all. My mother asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, and I told her, “a priest.” She was not at all happy. Of course, that’s what you expect from an anti-Catholic mother.

But, she will not stop my vocation. God is more powerful than Satan.
 
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